Sound producing device



Dec. 17, 1968 c, MERL I 3,416,488

SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Filed April 28, 1966 INVENTOR. CARL Jl MERL ATTORNEYS 3,416,488 SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Carl J. Merl, Erie, Pa., assignor to Louis Marx & Co., Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 545,896 7 Claims. (Cl. 116139) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sound producing device for mounting within a body having opposed walls in which reeds are mounted within a bulb proximate to one wall and an actuator for collapsing the bulb is slidably mounted through the opposite wall with a portion extending through the wall through which the actuator is mounted and an envelope portion closely embracing a portion of the bulb for controlling the collapsing of the bulb.

This invention relates generally to a sound producing device and more particularly to a device adapted for mounting in a childs doll which may be actuated to produce a sound such as a kissing sound. More particularly, the invention is directed to a simplified construction of a sound producing device of this general nature.

Sound producing devices are old and well known in the art and it is known to incorporate such devices in dolls in order to permit the generation of sounds simulating sounds produced by humans and especially babies. Vibrating reeds have been used to produce sounds such as kissing sounds and various device have been suggested incorporating such reeds for operation of same. Some of the prior art devices are complexed and expensive while others provide for a less than satisfactory operation.

Accordingly, a principal object of this invention is to provide a sound producing device of simple and inexpensive construction which will operate in a satisfactory manner and will not be easily injured by a child.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sound producing device of inexpensive construction which may be easily mounted in a dolls body and actuated from the exterior thereof.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a pair of vibratable reeds are carried by a tube within a bulb which may be compressed to expel air through the reeds and permitted to expand to draw in air through the reeds. A plunger is provided for collapsing the bulb without undue distortion and spring means maybe pro vided for returning the plunger and bulb to the normal position.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a doll having a sound producing device constructed in accordance with the instant invention mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the bulb in the collapsed position resulting from depression of the Plunger; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 2.

nited States Patent 3,416,488 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 "ice A doll 11 of any desired size and generally formed of plastic material has a body portion 12 in which is mounted the sound producing device of the instant invention. A tube 13 having a central aperture 14 is mounted within the body portion preferably through the wall forming the chest of the doll. Tube 13 is provided with a shoulder 15 abutting with a boss 16 formed as part of the body portion wall. A pair of thin metal reeds 17 are mounted within tube 13 with the leading edges terminating in a cylindrical chamber 18 concentric with central aperture 14. The cylindrical chamber permits the reeds to vibrate without obstruction.

The peripheral wall 19 of the tube surrounding the cylindrical chamber is embraced by a bulb 21 of resilient material such as rubber with the bulb extending toward the back of body portion 12. A ring or wire 22 secures the neck of the bulb in air tight relationship with peripheral wall 19. An annular undercut 23 may be provided in the peripheral wall intowhich the neck of the bulb may be deflected by ring 22.

A compression spring 24 surrounds the rear portion of tube 13 and extends between a shoulder 25 and the base of bulb 21. Spring 24 aids in the return of the bulb to its normal position after the bulb has been compressed. While bulbs of this general type will return to the normal position without the aid of such a spring, the spring will increase the rate of return to improve the sound produced, as will be hereafter described.

A plunger 26 having an envelope portion 27 and a cylindrical handle portion 28 is also mounted within the dolls body. The cylindrical handle portion is slidably mounted in a sleeve 29 secured through the back portion of the dolls body. Sleeve 29 has its axis aligned with the axis of tube 13 so that the plunger is mounted for sliding on the same axis. Sleeve 29 is of sufficient length to embrace handle portion 28 and assures sliding along the aforesaid axis without substantial deflection therefrom. In other words, the sliding action of plunger 26 is desirable along its longitudinal axis and this is accomplished by the elongated bearing surface of sleeve 29.

Envelope portion 27 surrounds bulb 21 and has a configuration to embrace the bulb along a substantial portion of its exterior surface. The envelope portion acts as a support to prevent collapse or distortion of the bulb which could result in improper operation and possible damage to spring 24.

The operation of the sound producing device is best understood by comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3. The normal position is shown in FIG. 2 with the bulb completely expanded and the plunger handle portion extending fully outwardly of the dolls body. By depression of the handle portion, the plunger slides along its longitudinal axis to compress the bulb and reduce the interior volume thereof. The position of the bulb in its compressed state is shown in FIG. 3 and the supportive action of the envelope portion of the plunger assures that the bulb will attain the FIG. 3 position wherein spring 24 is also compressed. During depression of the plunger, the air within the bulb is expelled through the reeds but a sound is not produced due to the orientation of the reeds. When the plunger is released, the bulb rapidly returns to its normal position and is aided in the return action by spring 24. This causes a rapid increase in volume of the bulb causing air to be drawn in through the reeds. The reeds are vibrated by the air rushing rapidly between them and an audible sound is produced. Depending on the size, shape and natural frequency of the reeds, various sounds may be produced and the device described is especially useful for producing a crying sound in a doll.

The body portion of the doll may also be provided with apertures 31 for effecting an amplification of the sound produced.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efiiciently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. A sound producing device for mounting within a body having opposed walls comprising a tube secured to one wall, reeds carried by said tube for vibration therein, a resilient bulb having a neck secured about said tube and having a rear portion extending toward the other wall, a plunger having an open ended envelope portion and a cylindrical handle portion, said handle portion extending through said other wall, said envelope portion closely embracing said rear portion of said bulb, the cross-sectional size of said open ended envelope portion being substantially the maximum cross-sectional size of said bulb, and means on said other Wall for slidably receiving and guiding said handle portion.

2. A sound producing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said last named means comprises a sleeve secured to said other wall and surrounding said handle portion, the longitudinal extent of said sleeve being sufiicient to embrace said handle portion and guide same for slidable movement substantially along its longitudinal axis.

3. A sound producing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tube has a cylindrical chamber intermediate its ends, the operative ends of said reed being positioned within said cylindrical chamber.

4. A sound producing device as claimed in claim 1 and including a spring within said bulb and acting between said tube and said rear portion of said bulb for biasing said bulb toward its normal position.

5. A sound producing device as claimed in claim 4 including means intermediate the ends of said tube defining a shoulder against which said spring bears, said spring surrounding said tube rearwardly of said shoulder.

6. A sound producing device as claimed in claim 1 including a ring surrounding said neck, said tube being provided with an annular undercut into which a portion of said neck is deflected by said ring.

7. A sound producing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the terminal edge of said envelope portion is substantially in the plane of the rear edge of said tube when said plunger is in its normal position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,678,223 7/1928 I-Iuthikow 46-183 1,998,082 4/1935 Gmbman 46-183 XR 2,259,467 10/1941 Henry 46--187 2,712,201 7/1955 Wintriss 46--1l7 3,032,920 5/1962 Cohn 46-117 3,208,183 9/1965 Neumann 46187 3,260,015 7/1966 Ryan 46117 FOREIGN PATENTS 323,107 7/1902 France. 521,021 7/1921 France. 546,413 8/1922 France.

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 46-480, 187 

